Our home from home in San Cristóbal was a fifteen minute walk from town, and from the Spanish school.
The Hidalgo Diaz family were warm, welcoming, interesting people. There was Francisco and Socoro, mum and dad, and they have four sons and three grandsons. Hector, the youngest son, is fourteen and is very friendly and outgoing. Juan is son number three, he lives three doors down with wife and two sons - Christian and Carlos, then there's Miguel, who lives at home with wife Anai and baby Caleb -who is adorable. Paco (Francisco) is the eldest - he lives in the big city (Tuxtla) and is a radio sports commentator, he visited on Sunday. We spent most time with mum, dad, Hector and Miguel.
Francisco is a builder, and he built the whole of their home (including a pool for the kids, knocked up from reinforced concrete) as well as the homes of his sisters and mum next door on both sides. Socoro is a baker by trade, but mostly works at home - both of them are very involved in community matters, through the church, and through Francisco's thirty-years of Tae Kwon Do training. Rosa, the domestica, also lives there, and helps take care of Caleb as well as cleaning and doing laundry.
One Sunday, we were taken for a tour around the outlying barrios. We called in on Francisco's brother's family, who have a house right on the edge of town, with great views.
We had a great time here - lots of fascinating conversation and insight into working-class life in San Cristóbal, what it was like when the EZLN took over the town, and what it means to be a Catholic follower of a Bishop on bad terms with Rome. And little people to play with, a hammock to swing in, music to listen to (including several traditions of ska to compare), a fellow fourteen year old to get to know, and lots of different kinds of food to try. I don't know when, but if I can, I'll be back.
- Mark (and Heather)
1 comment:
Hiya,
Interesting stuff in this post. I'd like to hear more about what it was like when the EZLN took over. I know central american priests/bishops have promoted liberation theology, and that the last pope was very unhappy about it. so, i'd like to hear more about the bishop there. and, did you say ska music? is it anything like jamaican ska?
perhaps, we can pick up this conversation when i'm in Coventry next.
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